Dispensing-machine



E. E. BUSHELL AND M. E. CONKHNG. DISPENSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION 'FILED NOV. 20, 1918.

1,340,822. Patented May 18,1920.

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DISPENSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20, 191B.

Patented May 18,1920.

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DISPENSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV, 20, I918.

-1,340,822. Patented May 18, 1920.

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ERNEST E. BUSHELL AND MARION E. CONKLING, OF LAW'JJON, OKLAHOMA.

DISPENSING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1920.

Application filed November 20, 1918. Serial No. 263,386.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat we, EnNnsT E. BUsHELL and MARION E. (JoNnLINc, citizens of the United States, residing at Lawton, in the county of Comanche and State of Oklahoma, have invented new and useful 11 provements in Dispensing-Machines, which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved dis pensing machine especially adapted for handling rice, sugar, beans, coffee and many other articles or products which will run or flow through spouts.

The object of the invention is to provide a sanitary dispensing machine which will effect considerable saving of time and expense in the handling of various products, which will economize in the floor space now required for the handling of such articles and which will also insure the delivery of the proper amount of such material purchased by a patron.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction combination and arrangement of parts, herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in section illustrating the general arrangement of the parts of the improved dispensing machine.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the bin stand with the bins removed.v

Fig. 3 is a plan view of apparatus embody ing our invention.

Fig. 4L is a fragmentary vertical section through the bottom of one of the bins show in the outlet arrangement thereof.

*ig. 5 is a horizontal section through the bin looking downward showing the outlet gates.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section through the bin showing one of the gates.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the bottom plate of the down-spout manifold.

Fig. 8 is an edge view of the upper plate of said manifold.

Fig. 9 is a section through the manifold on the line 99 of Fig. 7

Fig. 10 is a cross section through the manifold on the line 10 10 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of one of the dispensing gates.

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 13 is a vertical longitudinal section of the trigger mechanism.

Fig. 14 is a view of the face plate with the trigger mechanism removed.

Fig. 15 is a vertical cross section through the trigger mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, A-A designate a plurality of bins for holding various articles such as rice, sugar, beans, coffee and other articles that will flow or run through down-spouts for dispensing purposes. The groups of bins AA are mounted at suitable elevations upon supporting stands 5 and extending downwardly from the bins A are down-spouts U, the lower extremities of which converge toward each other and are attached to a manifold D controlled by a plurality of gates, as will hereinafter appear, by means of which any desired article or material may be delivered upon a weighing platform l5 adapted to have a suitable ba or receptacle placed thereon to receive sucn article or material.

Arranged under the platform E in supporting relation thereto is a vertically movable post 1 which is slidable through an opening in an underlying counter 2. The post 1 is connected by means of a knife pivot to a substantially horizontal beam 4: which extends under the counter 2 and is pivotally supported at 5 on a pendent post 6 extending downwardly from the bottom of the counter 2. At the opposite end, the beam 4 is connected by means of a pivot 7 to the lower extremity of a substantially vertical push rod 8 which extends upwardly through an opening in the counter and above said counter, where it is pivotally connected at 9 to a graduated weighing scale beam 1.0. The beam 10 is pivotally mounted at 11 on a support 12 passing through the bin stands above referred to. 13 designates a balance weight for properly balancing the beam 10, it being noted that the pivot 10 lies between the pivot 9 and the balance weight 18. At the opposite side of the pivot 9, the beam 10 carries a weighing weight 14 movable longitudinally of the scale beam 10 according to the amount of material to be weighed by the mechanism. All pivots of the weighing mechanism thus far described. are of the knife edge variety to reduce friction to a. minimum and secure aoeuracy in the weighing process.

Each of the bins A is preferably of oblong or rectangular formation in horizontal section as indicated in Figs. 1 and 3 and in order to enable the attendant to see how much material the bin contains, each bin is formed with a vertically extending observation slot or window 15 which is glazed in order to prevent the escape of the contents thereof. Suitable graduations are represented along the side of the glazed opening 15 in order that the attendant may accurately estimate the contents of the bin. Each bin is formed with a slanting bottom 16, such bottom slanting toward one corner of the bottom of the bin as indicated in Fig. 5, where said bin is formed with an outlet opening 17 controlled by a slidable cntofl' or gage 18 operable by means of a rod 19, as shown in-Fig. 5. The rod 19 extends beyond the side wall of the bin where it is provided with an operating handle 20. Each bin is also provided with a short outlet neck 21 and has adjustably attached thereto an extension neck 22, the latter being adjustable up and down upon the neck 21 by means of one or more set screws 23. By raising the extension neck 22, the bin may be dismounted from the supporting stand for the purpose of refilling said pin without disturbing the dovm-spout thereof, the extension neck 22 fitting downwardly into the respective down-spouts.

The bin stand is made in two rectangular sections as best illustrated in Fig. 2, each section comprising the horizontal longitudi nal members 24 and transverse end members 25, said members being rigidly secured together to form a rectangular horizontal. frame. lach of said frames is supported upon four supporting legs 26 secured by fastening means 27 to the counter 2. The inner adjacent legs 26 of the stand sections B are connected by other longitudinal frame members 28 in parallel relation to each other and the members 28 are connected by cross bars 29 which support an underlying funnel or hopper 30 having a discharge spout 31 located centrally of the bottom thereof and centrally above the platform E. The up per horizontal frames of the bin stand sections B also comprise other longitudinal members 32 and transverse members 83 for the support of the edges of the individual bins A, enabling said bins to be withdrawn in an upward direction for refilling purposes.

Located above and secured to the funnel or hopper 30 is a manifold D comprising a bottom plate 34 and a topplate The top plate 35 is formed with a longitudinal series of orifices 36 surrounded by upstanding flanges 37. The plate 34- is provided With a corresponding series of orifices 38 lying directly under the orifices 36. The plates 34. and are connected to ther in superimposed and spaced relation to each other by means of fasteners 39, such as bolts or rivets, and said plates are held in spaced relation to each other by means of interposed transversely extending division strips 40, forming guides between each pair of which is mounted one of a series of dispensing gates or slides 41. Each of said gates or slides L1 is formed with a discharge orifice 41-2 of the same size as the orifices 36 and 38 hereinabove referred to. Each gate a1. is provided at one end with an operating handle or knob and has extending from its opposite end a latch bar 44 having a notch 45 in the lower side thereof as best shown in Fig. 11. Each gate all is normally held in a closed position by means of a spring 4.6.

In order to hold the gates open one at a time, I employ a series of triggers or latches -17 as shown in 13, each of said latches comprising a hooked extremity 48 adapted to engage the notch or shoulder 45 of the respective gate +11. The latches 4:? are all mounted between a. pair of plates or bars 4!) and 50 secured together in spaced relation by means of fastening means 51, the plate or bar 50 being formed with slots 52 through which the latch bars 44 are slidable. The upper extremities of all of the triggers -17 are connected by means of pivots 53 to a common tripping bar 54. The bar 54 has attached to one end thereof a flexible connection 55 such as a cable which extends around a guiding pulley 5G journaled on the bin stands and downwardly from said pulley where it is connected at 57 to one extremity of a lever 58 pivotally supported at 59 under the counter 2. The lever 58 has a pin and slot connection at (it) with the lower end. of the push rod 8 just above the pivotal connection 7 hereinabove referred to. Attached to the opposite end of the tripping bar 5 1- is a contractile spring 61, the opposite extremity of the spring (ll being attached at (32 to one or both of the plates or bars 49 and 50. The spring (31 operates to hold both of the triggers in engagement with their respective dispensing gate. All parts of the apparatus with the exception of the scale beam 10 and the parts directly associated therewith are preferably covered by means of housing plates 63, serving to prevent dust and other foreign matter from gaining access to the mechanism and the bins and the contents of the latter, thus increasing the sanitary properties of the apparatus.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will now be seen that the apparatus is entirely sanitary, enabling the goods to be dispensed in a clean condition. The apparatus saves valuable floor space, occupying overhead space not otherwise generally utihzed 111 stores. The apparatus is a valuable time and money saver and greatly facilitates the transaction of business to the great satisfaction of the owner of the business and the patrons thereof. The bins may be individually withdrawn from the bin stands for the purpose of refilling the same by first closing the individual cut-offs or gates 17.

In operation a bag or other suitable receptacles is first placed upon the weighing platform E and then the respective dispensing gate is opened, being temporarily held open by the respective latches hereinabove described. As soon as the proper amount of material has been delivered upon the platform E, the latter descends, thereby rocking the beam 4: pushing upwardly on the rod 8 and rocking. the weighing scale beam 10. Simultaneously that end of the lever 58 that is attached to the push rod 8 is raised While the opposite end thereof is depressed, thus pulling downwardly on the connection 55 and sliding the tripping bar 54 with the result that the trigger mechanism is rendered operative to release the latch which held the dispensing gate. Said dispensing gate then closes, cutting off the further flow of material. The receptacle containing the weighed material is then removed from the weighing platform, whereupon the apparatus is in readiness for a new operation.

e claim 1. In dispensing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of bins, of a manifold embodying a lower plate having spaced openings and transverse guide flanges arranged between the openings and an upper plate arranged upon the guide flanges and spaced from the lower plate, said upper plate having spaced openings leading into the first named openings and having surrounding flanges, conduits connected with the bins and engaging the surrounding flanges, gates mounted to slide transversely between the flanges and having openings movable into and out of registration with the first named openin s, handles connected with the gates to move them, rods connected with the gates and having shoulders, springs surrounding the rods to move them in one direction, a plurality of pivoted latches adapted to engage with the shoulders, yielding means to swing the latches in one direction so that they engage the shoulders, a scale embodying a dispensing platform arranged beneath the manifold, and connecting means between the platform and said latches.

2. In dispensing apparatus, the combination with a plurality of bins, of a manifold embodying a roller plate having spaced openings and transverse flanges arranged between the openings and an upper plate arranged upon the guide flanges and spaced from the lower plate, said upper plate having spaced openings which lead into the first named openings and having surrounding flanges, conduits connected with the bins and receiving the surrounding flanges, rods having shoulders, gates mounted to slide between the guide flanges and having openings and connected with the rods, springs surrounding the rods to move them in one direction, pivoted latches having portions to engage the shoulders, a link connecting the latches, a spring connected with one end of the link to move it in one direction, and means connected with the opposite end of the link to move it in an opposite direction.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

ERNEUI E. BUSHELL. MARION E. CONKLING. 

